1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a novel process for the manufacture of decorative stainless steel articles. More particularly, the present invention relaters to a process for the manufacture of stainless steel articles having imprinted or laminated thereon colorful images and designs. Stainless steel articles of particular interest manufactured in accordance with the process of the present invention are table and kitchenware such as dishes, casseroles and utensils. The designs and images imprinted on the stainless steel articles by the process of the present invention are of permanent nature and resistant to erasure, fading or peeling under normal conditions.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Prior art discloses several processes for imprinting designs and images on materials other than stainless steel. Attempts to imprint permanent images and designs on smooth metallic surfaces such as stainless steel have always failed to meet with success. Apart from the fact that imprinting designs on stainless steel articles is highly expensive and therefore, not commercially viable, the designs imprinted tend to crack, peel and fade even under a normal careful usage.
It is therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a process for the manufacture of decorative stainless steel articles which is simple to carry out and is commercially and economically viable.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a process for the manufacture of decorative stainless steel articles, which are highly aesthetic. It is a further object of the present invention to provide a process, which successfully imprints aesthetic designs and images on stainless steel articles with a uniform and smooth or matte finish.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide permanent and aesthetic designs on stainless steel articles which are resistant to peeling, fading, discoloring and erasure under normal conditions of usage and wear and tear.
These and other objects of the present invention are achieved by the process of the present invention which is carried out under a combination of novel and carefully selected and controlled process parameters and conventional art of employing transfer foils to transfer images and designs to the articles.
The present invention provides a process for the manufacture of decorative stainless steel articles which comprises washing a stainless steel perform to a temperature in the region of from 120 to 140 degree C. to remove impurities therefrom, applying, if desired, a conventional base coat to said perform, affixing a transfer foil containing the design to be imprinted on to said base coated preform, removing any air bubbles present therein, and heating the preform to a temperature between 140 to 160 degree C., allowing the preform to cool and removing said transfer foil to obtain said decorative stainless steel articles having the desired design imprinted thereon.
The process of the present invention has several industrial applications. It can be applied to any stainless articles of industrial use where a permanent aesthetic appeal is an important factor. It can also be applied to various household and commercial items such as dishes, utensils, casseroles, wall ornaments, artificial jewelleries and the like. Compared to ceramic and porcelain, stainless steel per se has a very wide industrial application by virtue of it being unbreakable and rust proof. The process of beautifying it with permanent images and designs, which are extremely appealing to the naked eye further adds considerable value to the alloy the aesthetic of which hitherto was restricted to mirror finishes.